12 Iconic Moments That Made Us Love The Olympics Forever

It's hard to believe, but the opening ceremony for the 2016 Olympic Games is just a few days away. And that means one thing: Olympic fever is set to take over the world.

It happens like clockwork every two years. From Rio to Rwanda, all anyone can talk about is the Olympic Games. Every television set will be tuned to heats, races, and qualifying competitions to catch the moments we'll never forget.

To get geared up for all the amazing moments to come in Rio this summer, we thought it'd be fun to take a look back at some of the standout, extraordinary moments of the past: the moments that made us cheer, gasp, and believe in something bigger than ourselves.

Click ahead to remember some of the best moments of Olympic glory throughout history. And don't forget to mark your calendar for your favorite events. See the 2016 schedule here.

Once upon a time, no American — male or female — had ever won a gold medal in gymnastics. Then, a 16-year-old gymnast with a pixie cut named Mary Lou Retton came along and won all-around gold by just .05 points. The best moment from her victory? When Retton scored a perfect 10 on not one, but both of her vaults — just to show she could.

Kristi Yamaguchi was only 22 years old when she claimed the first medal for U.S. women's figure skating since Dorothy Hamill in 1976. Her free skate included some insane triple-triple combinations that edged out the competition. But Yamaguchi didn't just end a 16-year gold-medal drought for Team USA; with this win she also became the first Asian-American woman to win Olympic gold in any sport.

Jesse Owens went down in history for his incredible performance at the 1936 Olympic Games, held in Nazi Germany. The story is so good that it's been turned into a movie. Yes, Hitler was there. Yes, Owens was thought to be "inferior" because of his race. And yes, he still competed.

Owens won a total of four gold medals that year: in the 100m, the 200m, the 4x100m relay, and the long-jump competitions. He also managed to break or equal nine Olympic records, and also set three world records. Hitler wanted the 1936 Berlin Games to prove his theory of Aryan racial superiority. Instead, Jesse Owens left a hero.